Milton Keynes ranks in top 10 places with the most fake football shirts seized in the UK

The study was carried out by OLBG, and surveyed 2,000 Brits. It questioned if they own a fake shirt, if they feel priced out of buying replica shirts and more.

Freedom of Information requests were also sent to local authorities to reveal the UK areas where the most fake football shirts have been seized.

Milton Keynes took third place, with 140 fake football shirts being seized in the city between 2019 and 2024.

Councils estimated their total value at just £1,400-£4,200, which is as little as £10-£30 per shirt. Only one caution was issued, and no prosecutions were made, highlighting the low penalties that often accompany counterfeit prosecution.

Camden took first place with 4,504 fake football shirts being seized by its borough council within the same time period.

Its figures hugely surpass any other council that provided data for the study. When comparing the Freedom of Information request data with the survey findings, it’s no surprise that London tops the list. According to the survey, almost half (42%) of football fans in the capital own a fake shirt.

The proud football supporting city of Newcastle comes in runner up - with 760 fake shirts seized by Newcastle upon Tyne City Council between 2019 and 2024.

This could be a result of the city’s view on the cost of football shirts, with over half (54%) of football fans feeling priced out of buying football shirts.

More key points from the study:

• While over a third of Brits own a fake football shirt, more than a quarter say they are likely to buy one in the future.
• Bristol had the highest proportion of people owning a fake shirt in the UK, with nearly half of residents having one.
• Almost three in five Bristol and Birmingham residents feel priced out of buying football shirts.
• Nearly one in five London residents are very likely to buy a fake football shirt in the future.
• Close to three in five 25 to 34-year-olds own a fake football shirt.

Steve Madgwick, editor in chief at OLBG, gave his advice on identifying fake football shirts.

Steve said: “Some of the Premier League’s most followed teams are now charging over £85 for their latest kit. These extortionate prices are placing a financial burden on millions of Brits, which often leads them to contemplate whether the option of a fake alternative is a better choice.”

“Despite having a lower cost, fake football shirts can present a risk to a person's health due to the chemicals and the poor safety standards used to create them. With this in mind, it’s important to know the signs of a fake shirt and always opt for the real version.”

“Firstly, always purchase football shirts from the club website and official retailers. If you’re unable to purchase a shirt on the club website, always opt for reputable retailers such as JD Sports and Sports Direct.”

“Check the product code before making the purchase. Every genuine football shirt carries a unique product code, which is often located near the hem or collar. Once you have found the code, search for it online. If the code doesn’t match official images, there’s a good chance that it’s fake.”